Teaching Academy
Promoting, Recognizing and Supporting Excellence in Teaching and Learning

May-June 2025 Newsletter

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Teaching Academy: Promoting, Recognizing and Supporting Excellence in Teaching & Learning

Welcome to our May-June newsletter! Whatever shapes you see in the soft summer clouds, we hope you find time to read and enjoy this month’s newsletter, which includes updates and multiple ways of staying connected with the Teaching Academy.

This month, we congratulate the winner of the 2025 Distinguished Fellow Award. Interested in helping to lead the Academy? The ExComm is seeking a Graduate Student (FFP) and Academic Staff Co-Chair. Charge up your summer and fall with a range of professional learning opportunities from the Teaching Academy and our partners in the Discussion Project, the Center for Teaching, Learning and Mentoring, the Wisconsin Initiative for Science Literacy, and the Clinical Corner. Save the date and put your name in to help plan the Fall and Winter Retreats. And most importantly…relax! You made it through another academic year. That’s cause for celebration!

Questions or comments about the newsletter? Contact Dan Pell & Sarah Pultorak, Editors editor-uwta-newsletter@g-groups.wisc.edu 

Reminder: The next Teaching Academy newsletter will be in August 2025. In the meantime, enjoy your summer – and see you on the Terrace!

 

Member Shout Out | Announcing the 2025 Distinguished Fellow Award

The Executive Committee of the Teaching Academy is pleased to present the Distinguished Fellow Award to John Martin. Recipients are chosen based on demonstrated sustained excellence in teaching and learning on the UW-Madison campus and dedicated service to the Teaching Academy. John is the 14th winner of the Distinguished Fellow Award, since the Faculty Senate established the Academy in 1993.

John was hired in 2009 by DoIT Academic Technology, where he was tasked with supporting instructors through the Teaching AcademySummer Institute (TASI), the Fall and Winter Retreats, and the Teaching and Learning Symposium (then co-sponsored by the Teaching Academy). In 2012, John was nominated to be a Teaching Academy Fellow. Since that time, he has served the Academy on the Communications Committee, the Membership Committee, the Executive Committee, as Chair of the Retreats, and as Academic Staff Co-Chair of the Executive Committee. In addition, he has taken an active role in past and current Teaching Academy programs, including U-CLaSS and Feedback on Teaching (on going); and past programs like LEaP and TASI. In 2024, John led the Academy’s 30th Anniversary Reunion.

John’s commitment to the Academy and his impact on our campus are broad and deep. For many instructors, his energy, curiosity, creative thinking, and his passion for engaging and empowering people, were an unforgettable part of his years as facilitator of the Active Teaching Labs—a past collaboration between the Academy and DoIT Academic Technology. Now at the Center for Teaching, Learning and Mentoring, John researches emerging topics in teaching and learning, works to build and sustain communities of passionate educators through CTLM initiatives such as the Course Design Institute, Exploring AI in Teaching, and teaches in the Delta Program. He says he’d love to have a conversation with you!

John has a PhD and MA in Education (Curriculum and Instruction) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, an MA in Writing, and BAs in Organizational Communication and English from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. | READ ABOUT THE AWARD

Please reach out and congratulate John! john.martin@wisc.edu

 

Upcoming Events | What’s happening in the Academy?

Welcome our New Members!

These individuals have been recognized for outstanding commitment to teaching and learning. Welcome to the Teaching Academy!

Future Faculty Partner: Morgan Mayer-Jochimsen, Educational Policy Studies.

Fellows: Ryan Stowe, Chemistry, Jenn Drake, Nursing.

Questions about membership? Contact the Membership Committee uwta-membership@g-groups.wisc.edu 

 

Save the Date | Teaching Academy Best Practices Showcase 2025

Come together to share instructors’ best teaching and learning ideas you can apply in your own classroom! Join other Academy members and affiliates to share unique assignment ideas, active learning examples, interesting teaching methods, and other learning-by-doing activities that work well with students.

Questions about the Best Practices Showcase? Contact Jamie Henke jamie.henke@wisc.edu 

Save the Date | Teaching Academy 25-26 Retreats…it’s time to plan!

  • Fall Retreat: Fri, October 3, 9am–1130am, DeLuca Forum (WID) & online
  • Winter Retreat: Fri, February 6, 9am–1130am, DeLuca Forum (WID) & online

The dates are set – but not the content. Let’s get to work! Over the summer we’ll meet casually to discuss topics for the two retreats. Then, starting in late-August, there will be a series of planning meetings, and opportunities to contribute before, during, and after the retreat. Haven’t joined us before? We run a very flexible and open planning process! The retreats are built on volunteer-power.

Want to join the Planning Team? Contact Dan Pell dan.pell@wisc.edu 

 

Member FYI | News, Events, Training, and Learning Opportunities

The Discussion Project | Sign up for online, early Fall 2025

Registration is still open for The Discussion Project Virtual, which starts in early September 2025.  A free online course, The Discussion Project Virtual supports UW-Madison instructors and leaders in designing and implementing high quality discussion. The focus of the course is online synchronous video conference discussion, and the skills are also relevant and transferable to in-person teaching and facilitating discussions in meetings. | REGISTER

Virtual Cohort Dates

  • Wednesdays, 1–3pm Central Time: 9/10, 9/17, 9/24, 10/1, 10/8, 10/15, 10/22
  • Each virtual session is preceded by 1 hour of asynchronous work in Canvas.

Questions about the Discussion Project? Contact discussion-project@education.wisc.edu 

 

Wisconsin Initiative for Science Literacy | Connecting Scholarship with the Public

The Wisconsin Initiative for Science Literacy (WISL) invites doctoral candidates and postdoctoral fellows to take part in sharing their scholarly research with the public. It is incumbent on us as scholars to connect with non-science audiences properly and effectively. PhD candidates should write a thesis chapter and postdocs should write an article that describes their work and its significance to a general audience: family members, friends, neighbors, community groups, state and federal legislators, and others. Their support and trust make our institutional scholarly work possible. | LEARN MORE

Public sentiment is everything.
With public sentiment, nothing can fail;
without it nothing can succeed.
  —Abraham Lincoln

WISL offers support, including a set of writing guidelines (chapter guidelines, article guidelines) and the assistance of an editor to hone your writing. Creative approaches that include drawings or figures, analogies, and personal anecdotes are encouraged. Avoid using jargon and focusing on technical concepts. Explain why your work is significant, don’t just summarize what you’ve done. An award of $250 is available for anyone who successfully completes a chapter or an article.

To express interest in this program, send an email to Cayce Osborne at cosborne@chem.wisc.edu. Please include your area of study and, if applicable, the date you plan to defend your thesis. WISL suggests allowing a minimum of one month to complete the process from first draft to finalized chapter or article.

Interested in the program? Contact Cayce Osborn cosborne@chem.wisc.edu 

Have something to share? Academy members work in diverse roles and learning environments across our university. If you have news, events, training, or opportunities you would like to share with the Academy, contact Dan Pell & Sarah Pultorak  editor-uwta-newsletter@g-groups.wisc.edu Messages received by the second Monday of the month may be included in that month’s newsletter.

 

From the ExComm | Volunteer for Leadership Opportunities

The Executive Committee (EC) of the Teaching Academy seeks to fill two leadership positions:

  • Academic Staff Co-Chair
  • Graduate Student (Future Faculty Partner) Co-Chair

The Co-Chairs of the Academy are Faculty, Academic Staff and Graduate Students who share an equal role in leading and setting the agenda for meetings. Co-Chairs typically serve 2-year terms and help build relationships, uphold the Mission and Bylaws, and guide the direction of the Academy.  The UW-Madison Teaching Academy Executive Committee is composed of elected Fellows and Future Faculty Partners who actively work towards the betterment of teaching and learning. Academic Staff and Faculty are typically chosen from existing members of the EC. Graduate Students may join as an FFP and directly take the position of Co-Chair. Elections will be held in the weeks before the Fall semester. | LEARN ABOUT THE EC

Thank you to Jeff Hennriques (Ac Staff) and Ailea Merriam-Pigg (FFP) who currently hold these positions!

Interested in applying? Questions about the position? Contact teachingacademy@provost.wisc.edu 

 

CTLM Updates | Engage with the Center for Teaching, Learning & Mentoring

Apply now for fall instructor fellowships

CTLM fellowships allow you to develop your teaching practice within a supportive group of colleagues and teaching and learning specialists. You’ll learn strategies to be both effective and efficient.

  • Early-career, tenure track faculty are invited to apply to Madison Teaching & Learning Excellence (MTLE) | LEARN MORE & APPLY
  • Academic staff and clinical instructors are invited to apply to CTLM Teaching Fellows | LEARN MORE & APPLY

The deadline is July 15 to ensure full consideration.

If you’re looking for a different kind of engagement or instructional support, please contact CTLM with your request – we look forward to working with you! To learn more about these programs or to register, visit the CTLM’s Professional Development Opportunities.

 

Clinical Teacher Learning Community: Network, Explore, Build. "Furthering Clinical Education"

Learning Community Update | Clinical Teachers’ Corner

Wisconsin Medical Journal call for papers

The WMJ invites manuscripts that explore teaching, learning, and assessment of learners at all levels across, and adjacent to, medical education for a special themed issue to be published in December 2025. Manuscripts are due July 15. | LEARN MORE

UWSMPH Education Scholarship Retreat

The Office for Faculty Affairs and Development offers its Education Scholarship Retreat. This annual event explores topics in education scholarship and provides an opportunity to learn, network, ask questions, and share experiences. This year a keynote speaker will address generative artificial intelligence—a theme that will be carried across other sessions. The retreat will occur on October 29, 2025, from 12:00pm to 4:30pm, in Health Sciences Learning Center. | REGISTER TO ATTEND

Articles for Discussion

Participate in discussion of articles featured in the Clinical Teacher Learning Community. Topics include adult learning theories, medical education and artificial intelligence, building growth mindset, and measuring learner engagement. This online community also offers connections, news, and resources for clinical teachers. | LEARN MORE

Courses

Registration is free and these courses can be completed at your own pace.

Explore

Questions? Topics you would like to see? Announcements for the next issue?  Contact Marianna Shershneva marianna.shershneva@wisc.edu

 

Join us! Honor a colleague! | The Academy is seeking new members

Now is the perfect time to honor a colleague or nominate yourself!For over 30 years, the Academy’s mission has been to promote, recognize and support excellence in teaching and learning among faculty, staff and students across campus and beyond. The Teaching Academy welcomes nominees who work in traditional classrooms, clinical practice, field instruction, or instructional support.

There are three types of membership: Future Faculty Partner (FFP), Fellow, and Affiliate. Learn how to become a Member. 

Questions about membership?  Are you an FFP who has moved on to another position in the University?  Contact uwta-membership@g-groups.wisc.edu

 

Get involved! | Ways to contribute to the Academy’s ongoing activities

Get Involved! in bold letters beside images of a pile of I Am UW stickers.